Submitted by Johnny Brown, LLBO Radon Technician
What is Radon? Radon is a radioactive gas that can cause lung cancer. It is a gas that we cannot see, smell or taste. Radon is naturally made by the decay of elements found in the dirt underneath our homes, even here on Leech Lake reservation. It doesn’t matter where you live, Radon can be a problem for all types of homes. This includes old rez homes, new rez homes, drafty rez homes, insulated rez homes, rez homes with basements, crawlspaces, and rez homes without basements.
Radon is a carcinogen. When exposed to radon over a long time, it can cause lung cancer. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. for Nonsmokers. The EPA estimates that 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year in the U.S. are caused by radon. The only way to know if your home has a radon problem is to test it! Protect your family; kids, parents, aunties, uncles, cousins, elders, even your pets.
Our Homes tested for radon on Leech Lake Reservation range anywhere from low levels to high levels. We have tested over 1000 homes in our community. On Leech Lake Reservation, 13% of homes tested had elevated radon levels of 4pCi/L or higher, while the highest we have found was 44pCi/L! We installed over 100 radon mitigation systems to reduce indoor radon exposure for more than 500 people in our community. If we test our home, we can protect our family and prevent lung cancer.
These days, many of us live in houses that are well sealed from the outdoor air. This can actually be a problem if radon enters our home, trapping the radon indoors and possibly causing radon to build up to high levels. No matter what type of home you live in: brand new and airtight or old and Rezzy, radon isn’t picky. Jeez! your home might have high levels of radon and you wouldn’t even know it. Harm to our lungs can be prevented, we just have to test!
Get informed! Test your home! Tell your family and friends to test their home!
Protect your Family – Prevent Lung cancer – Test your Home for radon.
Contact: Radon Technician at 218-335-3716 or DRM Air Quality Specialist at 218-335-7441
Get more information at http://www.llojibwe.org/drm/environmental/radon or go to http://sosradon.org
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